Pile driving apparatus



I United States Patent 11 13,543,869

[72] Inventor Gabriel Fuentes, Jr. [56] References Cited 1501 Ashford Ave., Santurce, Puerto Rico UNITED STATES PATENTS 00907 1,957,999 5/1934 Goldsborough et al 173/126 [21] P 3 92 2,014,631 9/1935 Pace et al. 173/87 [22] F116 1970 2,040,668 5/1936 111611618 173/87 [451 paemed 2,243,292 5/1941 Settle 173/126 Primary ExaminerJames A. Leppink [54] PILE DRIVING APPARATUS Attorney-Dominik, Knechtel & Godula 5 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

52] us, (1 173/86, 173/126 [51] Int. Cl E02d 7/06 ABSTRACT: A method and apparatus for installing a hammer [50] Field of Search 173/53- in the leads of the support frame of the pile driving apparatus -56, 8189, 126 which are generally used to support and aline the hammer.

Patented Dec. 1, 1970 Sheet of2 FIG.

INVENTOR. GABRIEL FUENTES JK FIG. 4 flMAeJ/J;%AA

FIG. 2

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Patented Dec. 1, 1970 Sheet FIG. 6

INVENTOR. GABRIEL FUE NTES JI. fl /r/zfl ATTYS.

i-. PILE muvmc-Arrm'rus This invention relates, in general, to improved pile driving apparatus and, more particularly, to improved methods and apparatus for installing a hammer in the leads of the support frame of the pile driving apparatus which are generally used to support and aline the hammer.

The hammer of a pile driving apparatus usually is supported within and between the two spaced apart, parallel arms of a generally U-shaped support frame. These arms of the support frame usually have what are generally referred to as leads on the ends thereof. These leads can be tubular or square-shaped structural members, and the hammer is adapted to receive the leads within or between guides of some sort afiixed to it. In order to install the hammer, the support frame normally is formed in two sections, one of which is attached to the movable boom of the apparatus used to support and to operate the hammer. This section of the support frame is vertically supported and raised to a height sufficient to permit the hammer to beplaced beneath it and then raised. As it is being raised, the guides on the hammer are engaged with the leads so that the-hammer now is properly supported and alined within this section of the support frame. Next, the other section of the support frame is alined with and affixed to the first section, and the hammer is then lowered so that it is partially guided amsupported by the two sections of the support frame. While this method of installing the hammer is generally satisfactory from the standpoint of operation, most installers object to it since it is a difficult method of installing the hammer and, more particularly, since it is an exceedingly time consuming operation.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for installing a hammer in apparatus generally of the above-described construction.

Another object is to provide an improved method and apparatus which permits the hammer to be more easily and quickly installed with the leads of the support frame.

Still another object is to provide improved methods and apparatus for installing a hammer with theleads of the support frame which permits the support frame to be of a one piece construction.

A still further object is to provide an improved method and apparatus for installing a hammer with the leads of the support frame which can be provided as original equipment or which can be adapted to existing equipment with only a relatively simple modification to the latter.

Still another object is to 'pi'ovide improved apparatus for installing a hammer with the leads of a support frame which is relatively simple in construction, easy to install and inexpensive.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The above objectives are accomplished by providing a pair of slide bars which are adapted to be slidably received between or within both the guides normally affixed to the opposite sides of the hammer and the bar guide affixed to the leads on the ends of the arms of the support frame. These slide bars are installed by simply supporting the hammer between the arms of the support frame and then lowering the slide bars into position, from the top. The weight of the slide bars is enough to keep them in place, hence no additional fastening means are required.

The invention accordingly comprises the several steps and the relation of one or more of such steps with respect to each of the others and the apparatus embodying features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which are adapted to effect such steps, all as exemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a partial front plan view, on an enlarged scale, illustrating the manner in which the slide bars are engaged between the hammer and the leads of the support frame and further illusuating the manner in which the slide bars seat upon and ride with the hammer;

FIG. 6 is a side plan view of one of the slide bars; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along lines 7-7 of FIG. 6.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings, in FIG. 1 there is shown a mechanized vehicle 10 of the well-known type having tracks 11 (only one of which is shown) for propelling the vehicle and a movable boom 12 which can be pivotally raised and lowered by means of, for example, the cable 13. Affixed to and supported by the boom 12 is a generally U-shaped support frame 14, for supporting a hammer 15, in an alined position. The mechanized vehicle 10 also has a pair of positioning arms 16 (only one of which is shown) which are affixed to the support frame 14 for movably positioning the support frame 14, so as to dispose the latter at a predetermined angular position.

As indicated above, the arms 20'and 21 (which 136 are best seen in FIG. 4)-of the support frame I4 have leads 22 and 23 on the ends thereof, respectively, which leads usually are tubular circular-shaped, as illustrated, or square-shaped structural members fixedly secured to the ends of the arms. In accordance with the present invention, bar guides 24 and 25 in the form of solid metal bars are fixedly secured to the leads 22 and 23, in face-to-face relationship along a line extending between the centers of the circular-shaped tubular leads. These bar guides can be integrally formed with the leads 22 and 23 or they can be fixedly secured to them after the latter have been formed. In this respect, the leads on existing apparatus can be modified to receive the hereinafter described slide bars 34 and 35 to adapt them to have a hammer installed within a support frame in the manner of the present invention, simply by fixedly securing bar guides of the above-described type to them.

The hammer 15 hasguides 27 and 28 fixedly secured to each of its opposite sides. These guides 27 and 28 each can be formed by a pair of L-shapedflanges 29 which are affixed to the hammer in spaced relation and with the one leg thereof disposed so as to form a guide slot between them.

A pair of slide bars 34 and 35 are adapted to be slidably engaged with the bar guides 24 and 25 affixed to the leads 22 and 23 and with the guides 27 and 28 affixed to the hammer 15 so as to movably support the hammer 15 within the framework of the support frame 14, in'the manner described more fully below. These slide bars 34 and 35 are identical in construction and, as can be best seen in FIGS. 3, 6 and 7, are generally in the form of two U-shaped members disposed to open into opposite directions. The one U-shaped member is substantially wider in width than the other and the arms 36 and 37 of this larger U-shaped member is adapted to be loosely and slidably retained between the flanges 29 forming the guides 27 and 28 on the hammer 15. The narrower U-shaped member has two arms 39 and 40 which are spaced apart so as to loosely and slidably receive the bar guides 24 and 25 affixed to the leads of the support frame 14. These slide bars 34 and 35 can be ining a plate 44 on its lower end is secured to the platform 42, by means of a nut '46. The shaft 45 has a spring 43 disposed about it and the spring is retained between the platform 42 and the plate 44. The tension on the spring 43 is controlled by means of the nut 46 which is used to. secure the shaft 45 to the platform 42. A pair of triangular-shaped support plates 48 (only one of which is shown) preferably are affixed to the platform 42 and to the arms 36 and 37 to provide additional support for the platform 42. An apertured hook 41 also is affixed to the platform 42, for handling the slide bars 34 and 35, in the manner described more fully below.

In installing the hammer 15 with the leads 22and 23 of the support frame 14, the cables 47 are attached to the hammer 15 and the latter is raised and supported in a suspended position within the support frame 14. Next, the cable 50, for example, is attached to the hook 41 on the end of the slide bar 34 so that the latter can be raised above the height of the hammer 15. The slide bar 34 then is lowered and as it is being lowered, the arms 39 and 40 thereof are slidably engaged with the bar guide 24 affixed to the lead 22 and the arms 36 and 37 thereof are slidably engaged with the L-shaped flanges 29 affixed to the hammer 15, as can be best seen in FIG. 3. Thereafter, the cable 51 is attached to the slide bar 35 so that the latter can be raised and lowered so that it is likewise slidably engaged with the bar guide 25 affixed to the lead 23 and with the L-shaped flanges 29 affixed to the opposite side of the hammer 15. With the two slide bars 34 and 35 in place on each of the opposite sides of the hammer 15, the hammer is firmly secured and guided within the frame support 14. When'in place, the plate 44 ati'ixed to the shafts 43 secured to the platforms 42 on the slide bars 34 and 35 seat atopthe hammer 15, as illustrated in FIG. 5. Preferably, flat'seats 55 are welded or otherwise affixed to the hammer 15 in a position such that theplates 44 will rest on the seats 55. The weight of the slide bars 34 and 35 is sufficient to keep them in position, with the plates 44 thereof normally seatedor resting on the seats 55.

The function of the springs 43 about the shafts 45 is to prevent damage to the hammer 15 while driving. As the hammer 15 drives, the slide bars 34 and 35 ride along with the hammer l and when the hammer 15 strikes the object being driven, there is a small bouncing movement. A dry blow by the slide bars 34 and 35 onto the hammer 15 would cause metal fatigue and consequent damage after some period of use.

it can be seen from the above description of the slide bars 34 and 35 and the manner in which they are used to install the hammer 15, that the operation now is a relatively simple task, particularly when compared to the present technique of installing a hammer. Furthermore, the installation can be accomplished more quickly. in fact, experience has shown that the hammer usually can be installed in approximately minutes time.

Another advantage provided by the slide bars 34 and 35, in riding on and with the hammer 15, is that the hammer now can be easily used for driving in excavations. This is due to the fact that the anvil 56 and the mandrel 57 affixed to the end of the hammer 15 are always guided by the slide bars, even when the hammer end goes beyond the end of the leads 22 and 23, as can be best seen in FIG. 5. The slide bars 34 and 35 continue to guide the anvil and the mandrel, since they always move along with the hammer 15.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in carrying out the above method and in the construction set forth without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

it is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention, which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

I claim: I. Asupport frame having a pair of leads affixed thereto and a hammer movably slidable vertically between said pair of leads comprising, in combination: lead guide means afiixed to each of said leads; hammer guide means on two opposite sides of said hammer; and a pair of slide bars supported by and movable with said hammer, said slide bars being slidably engaged with said lead guide means affixed to one of said leads and said hammer guide means on one side of said hammer, respectively, to lockingly retain and guide said hammer between said leads.

2. The support frame and hammer of claim 1, wherein said pair of slide bars each have support means affixed to them which engage said hammer to permit said slide bars to be supported by and movable with said hammer, said support means including cushioning means for cushioning said slide bars to protect said slide bars from damage when said hammer is being driven, the weight of said slide bars maintaining said support means in engagement with said hammer.

3. The hammer and support frame of claim 1, wherein each of said lead guide means comprises a generally rectangularshaped bar guide affixed to said lead, said bar guides being in face-to-face relationship and disposed along a line extending between said leads, each of said hammer guide means comprising spaced-apart flange guides which form a guide slot between them, each of said slide bars having a first pair of arms between which one of said bar guides is slidably received and a second pair of arms which are slidably received between said spaced-apart flange guides.

4. The hammer and support frame of claim 2, wherein each of said lead guide means comprises a generally rectangularshaped bar guide affixed to said lead, said bar guides being in face-to-face relationship and disposed along a line extending between said leads, each of said hammer guide means comprising spaced-apart flange guides which form a guide slot between them, each of said slide bars having a first pair of arms between which one of said bar guides is slidably received and a second pair of arms which are slidably received between said spaced-apart flange guides.

5. A hammer and a generallyU-shaped support frame for movably supporting said hammer comprising, in combination: a lead having lead guide means affixed to the ends of each of the two arms of said support frame, hammer guide means on each of the opposite sides of said hammer, and a pair of slide bars retained between said hammer and said leads and engaged with said lead guide means and said hammer guide means to lockably retain and to guide said hammer within said support frame, each of said lead guide means comprising a generally rectangular-shaped bar guide affixed to said lead, said bar guides being in face-to-face relationship and disposed along a line extending between said leads, each of said hammer guide means comprising spaced-apart flange guides which form a guide slot between them, each of said slide bars having a first pair of arms between which one of said bar guides is slidably received and a second pair of arms which are slidably received between said spaced-apart flange guides. 

